UN envoy sees bright future for Great Lakes region

Not only is it possible to build on the Africa's Great Lakes region's thrust toward greater cooperation to address challenges and threats to peace and stability, the gains achieved to date can also be preserved and consolidated. So says Xia Huang, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region in Africa.

The Great Lakes region refers to the areas around the lakes of Victoria, Tanganyika and Kivu in Africa, covering 11 countries including Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. The region boasts an area of more than 7 million square kilometers and has a total population of about 200 million.

In a statement released on Oct 24 in Nairobi to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, Xia said he is confident the region can face persistent and new challenges including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, whose far-reaching economic and social impacts are testing the capacities of countries around the globe, including in the Great Lakes Region.

"As Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region, I will spare no effort to ensure the 'future' of a peaceful, inclusive, prosperous, and resilient region becomes a 'now' for all the people and communities in the Great Lakes region," Xia said. "This commitment has also guided the UN's efforts in support of the people and governments of the Great Lakes region, where the UN has been present for over six decades. Concrete steps toward cross-border cooperation and integration have been taken by stakeholders at all levels, with women and youth increasingly being recognized and involved as key agents of change."

According to Xia, the 75th anniversary of the UN provides an opportunity to strengthen multilateralism amid the quest for durable peace and shared prosperity in the resource-endowed region.

He added the recently developed UN strategy for peace consolidation, conflict prevention and conflict resolution in the Great Lakes region will boost the quest for long-term stability and economic growth in a region that has for decades grappled with civil strife and underdevelopment.